1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for predicting a golfer's ball striking performance for a multitude of golf clubs and golf balls. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for predicting a golfer's ball striking performance for a multitude of golf clubs and golf balls without the golfer actually using the multitude of golf clubs and golf balls.
2. Description of the Related Art
For over twenty-five years, high speed camera technology has been used for gathering information on a golfer's swing. The information has varied from simple club head speed to the spin of the golf ball after impact with a certain golf club. Over the years, this information has fostered numerous improvements in golf clubs and golf balls, and assisted golfers in choosing golf clubs and golf balls that improve their game. Additionally, systems incorporating such high speed camera technology have been used in teaching golfers how to improve their swing when using a given golf club.
An example of such a system is U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,259 to Lynch et al., for a Method Of Matching Golfer With Golf Ball, Golf Club, Or Style Of Play, which was filed in 1975. Lynch discloses a system that provides golf ball launch measurements through use of a shuttered camera that is activated when a club head breaks a beam of light that activates the flashing of a light source to provide stop action of the club head and golf ball on a camera film. The golf ball launch measurements retrieved by the Lynch system include initial velocity, initial spin velocity and launch angle.
Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,387 to Sullivan, et al., for a Golf Club Impact And Golf Ball Launching Monitoring System, which was filed in 1977. Sullivan discloses a system that not only provides golf ball launch measurements, it also provides measurements on the golf club.
Yet another example is a family of patent to Gobush et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,383 filed on Sep. 30, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,463 filed on Feb. 24, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,719 filed on Aug. 1, 1995; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,823 filed on Nov. 18, 1996. This family of patents discloses a system that has two cameras angled toward each other, a golf ball with reflective markers, a golf club with reflective markers thereon and a computer. The system allows for measurement of the golf club or golf ball separately, based on the plotting of points.
Yet another example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,483 for a Method Of Measuring Motion Of A Golf Ball. The patent discloses a system that uses three cameras, an optical sensor means, and strobes to obtain golf club and golf ball information.
However, these disclosures fail to provide a system or method that will predict a golfer's performance with a specific golf club or golf ball in different atmospheric conditions, without having the golfer physically strike the specific golf ball with the specific golf club. More specifically, if a golfer wanted to know what his ball striking performance would be like when he hit a CALLAWAY GOLF® RULE 35® SOFTFEEL™ golf ball with a ten degrees CALLAWAY GOLF® BIG BERTHA® ERC® II forged titanium driver, the prior disclosures would require that the golfer actually strike the CALLAWAY GOLF® RULE 35® SOFTFEEL™ golf ball with a ten degrees CALLAWAY GOLF® BIG BERTHA® ERC® II forged titanium driver. Using the prior disclosures, if the golfer wanted to compare his or her ball striking performance for ten, twenty or thirty drivers with one specific golf ball, then the golfer would have use each of the drivers at least once. This information would only apply to the specific golf ball that was used by the golfer to test the multitude of drivers. Now if the golfer wanted to find the best driver and golf ball match, the prior disclosures would require using each driver with each golf ball. Further, if the golfer wanted the best driver/golf ball match in a multitude of atmospheric conditions (e.g. hot and humid, cool and dry, sunny and windy, . . . etc.) the prior disclosures would require that the golfer test each driver with each golf ball under each specific atmospheric condition.
Thus, the prior disclosures fail to disclose a system and method that allow for predicting a golfer's ball striking performance for a multitude of golf clubs and golf balls without the golfer actually using the multitude of golf clubs and golf balls.